Car-door fastener.



No. 799,043. PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905. E. R. GREENE.

CAR DOOR FASTBNER.

uruourxox FILED an. 31, mm.

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WITNESSES:

avfiem R PATENTED SEPT. 12, 1905.

E. R. GREENE. OAR DOOR FASTENER.

APPLICATION rum: un. 31. 1004.

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INVENTOR WITNESSES:

UNITED TATES PATENT @FFIGE- ELI R. GREENE, OF SPIRIT LAKE, IO\VA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO F RANK IV. SPRAGUE. OF DES MOINES, IOIVA.

CAR-DOOR FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1905.

Application filed March 31,1904. Serial No. 200,951-

To all whom, it Hwy concern:

Be itknown that I, ELI R. GREENE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spirit Lake, in the county of Dickinson and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Door Fasteners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to door-fastenings, and particularly to that class of fastenings fitted for use in connection with sliding doors, such 'as the doors of freight-cars and the like, where it is of first importance that the fastening shall be secure against unauthorized interference and yet quickly and easily operable by one having authority.

My invention has for its object, moreover, the provision of a fastening adapted for use in connection with either a padlock or aseal, or both, and when used in connection with a seal it provides in itself for the ready breaking of said seal without the use of a tool or other special means, such as are usually requiied.

In order that my invention may be readily understood, in the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my invention in detail, in which Figure 1 represents in perspective the fastener disassociated from a door in its open position. Fig. 2 isasimilar view representing the fastener in its closed position and with a seal in place. Fig. 3 shows the fastener as arranged in operative relation to the sliding door of a car, while Figs. 4, 5, 6, and Tshow various details.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, the various portions of the fastener are assembled within a metal casing or frame a, which is arranged over a cut-away portion of the car-door and secured by means of suitable bolts 11, passing through the holes a and provided with tightening-nuts on the inner inaccessible side of the door. This arrangement leaves the space within the metal frame a unobstructed for the operation of the fastener. Upon the lower portion, which may be called the base, of the frame a small studs or ears (I and c are formed, each in pairs. The studs (1 are connected by means of a pin f, upon which is pivoted a straight bar g, serving as a link, its other end being pivoted at it within the bifurcated end of the latch 2'. This latch is provided at its opposite end with the hook I j, which projects through the opening I and beyond the edge of the door, the latch lying in its open position substantially horizontal.

The operating-lever preferably carries at one end a ring m. or other device serving as a handle, while near the other end it passes through an opening a in the upper portion of the frame and, curving, terminates ina broad head pivoted at 0 within the latch 2, which is cut away centrally in order to accommodate said lever. The head of the lever is, moreover, provided with a projecting bifurcated nose p. An angular piece (1 is pivoted at one of its extremities upon the pin 1', mounted in the ears 0, and another pin a pivotally connects this piece at its elbow with the bifurcated nose 1), thus forming a link having a projection extending at an angle therefrom.

Two angle-irons t are secured in position by two of the bolts 1) in such a manner that their upright portions are disposed parallel to each other, forming a guide for the reception of lever-arm in its closed position. These guides are provided with corresponding apertures a, through which a pin r or the shackle of a lock, if desired, may be passed for the purpose of securing the lever-arm. These guides are also provided with elongated apertures w for the reception of the band of an ordinary car-seal 41, as shown in Fig. 2.

If the sliding door upon which the fastener is mounted be closed, the hook j of the latch r; enters the usual opening 1 formed in the face of the plate At this point the various portions of the fastener occupy the relative positions shown in Fig. 1. The lever-arm is then pressed toward the door or guides, the pin s serving as a fulcrum, and the latch by means of the pin 0 is drawn upwardly and inwardly to the right, as shown in said figure, assuming an inclined position until the leverarm enters the guides and nearly reaches its closed positionjust about the position of the apertures in the guides. At this point the inner curved portion or throat of the lever comes in contact with the edge of the opening w, as shownin Fig. 2. The edge of this opening then serves as a fulcrum, and the anglepiece 1 is quickly thrown upward into the position shown in said Fig. 2, while thelatch has a slight retrograde movement to the left. It will thus be seen that the initial closing movement of the lever tends to draw the door tightly against the jamb, and then as the fulcrurn of the lever is shifted from the pin 8 to the edge of the opening n the lever springs into its closed position readily under the influence of the strain upon the latch Thus any pull upon the door would only serve to hold the lever the more tightly in itsclosed position even without the retaining-pine. After the lever has been thrown into this position,

the door being closed, the seal-band is passed through the elongated apertures 10 and its two ends secured together by a metal disk in the usual manner, and, as stated, the seal may be supplemented by the use of thepin Q). When it is desired to open the door, the lever-handle m is grasped and given aquick jerk. The

seal-band is cut in two places by the edges of the guide, as indicated in Fig. 1, and as the lever is pulled farther open the latch 2' moves to the left, and, as will be seen bya comparison of Figs. 1 and 2, the hook j of thelatch at the same time drops downwardly, so as to clear its engagement withthe opening y, thus permittingthe door to he slid backward and ingress to the car permitted,

It will be obvious ,that'certain changes in matters of detail will suggest themselves to the skilled mechanic, such modifications com ing well within the scope of my in'vention,

ating-lever pivoted thereto, a nose carried'by said lever, and alink'connection between said nose and a suitablesupport. v

3. The combination, with a latch, andalink connecting one end of said latch with affixed support, of an operating-lever pivoted thereto, a nose carried by said lever, and a'connec tion between said nose'anda suit ables'upport.

4.- The'combination, with a latch h'avinga hook at one end, and a link connecting the other end with a suitable "support, of an'operating-lever pivoted to-the latch at'apoint between the two ends, a nose carried by said lever, and a connection between said nose and a suitable support.

5. The combination, with a latch connected at one end to a'suitable support, of antiperating-lever pivoted to the latoh, a nose carried by said lever, and a link connectionbetween said nose and a suitable'support.

6. The combination,'with a latch connected at one end to a suitablesupport, of anoperating-lever pivoted to the latch, a link connecting said nose with a suitable support, and 'irpl rojection extending at an angle from said 7 The combination, with a latch having a hook 'at one end, and a link connecting the other end of said latch with a fixed support, of an operating-lever pivoted to said latch at a point intermediate its two ends, a nose carried by said lever, a link connecting said nose with a suitable support, and a projection ex tending at an angle from said link and adapted to abut against a fixed support.

8. The combination, with a latch having a hook at one end, and a link connecting the other end with a fixed support, of 'a lever pivotedto'the latch at a point between its two ends, a nos'ecarrie'd by saidlever, 'a link conelongatedapertures for'the receptionof a carseal. I

10. The combination, with a latch, and 'a link connecting one end of said latchto a fixed support, of an operating-lever pivoted to the latch ata point between itstwo ends, a nose carried by-said lever, a link connection between'said'no'seand a fixed su pport, and guides arranged for the reception of the free arm of said lever,"sa'id guides being provided with narrowelong'ated apertures for there'ception tracer-seal.

11. The combination,' with a'latch having a hook atfone end, and a link connecting the other end 'w'itha fixed support, of an operating-lever pivoted to'sa'id latch at a point intermediate its two ends, a nose'carried by said lever, alink connecting said nose with a suitable "support, a projection extending at an an- 3 glen-om said link and adapted to abut against "signature in presence at two witnesses.

, ELI 'R. GREENE. WVitnesses:

1C. :MARCY,

H. E. MILLS.

IIS 

